Object cleaning

Abstract

According to one aspect, there is provided a method of cleaning a 3D object on a platform. The method comprises generating with a cleaning module a cleaning airflow to remove powder particles from a 3D object and an extraction airflow to extract any removed powder particles, determining a quantity of powder particles in the extraction airflow, and moving the cleaning module relative to the platform based on the determined quantity of powder particles.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for cleaning a 3D printed object, comprising:
 a platform to receive the 3D printed object to be cleaned; 
 a cleaning module comprising:
 an output port to direct a first airflow from an airflow source to the 3D printed object on the platform; and 
 an extraction port adjacent to the output port to direct a second airflow comprising powder particles removed by the first airflow to a vacuum source; 
 
 a sensor to measure a quantity of powder particles removed by the second airflow; and 
 a controller to control movement of the platform, while cleaning the 3D printed object via the cleaning module, based on the quantity of powder particles measured by the sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is a moveable platform to move 3D objects placed on the platform through a cleaning zone of the cleaning module, and wherein the controller is to:
 control the airflow source to generate the first airflow at a first predetermined flow rate; 
 control the vacuum source to generate the second airflow at a second predetermined flow rate; 
 control the platform to position a first portion of the 3D printed object within the cleaning zone of the cleaning module; and 
 control the platform to move the 3D printed object on the platform through the cleaning zone at a speed based on the quantity of powder particles removed by the second airflow. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is a moveable platform to move 3D objects on the platform through a cleaning zone of the cleaning module, and wherein the controller is to:
 control the airflow source to generate the first airflow at a first predetermined flow rate; 
 control the vacuum source to generate the second airflow at a second predetermined flow rate; 
 control the platform to position a first portion of the 3D printed object within the cleaning zone of the cleaning module; and 
 control the platform to move the 3D printed object on the platform through the cleaning zone in a series of discrete steps based on the quantity of powder particles removed by the second airflow. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning module is height adjustable based on a distance between the cleaning module and a portion of the 3D printed object on the platform, the distance determined via a height sensor. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning module is an air knife to generate a narrow high-speed laminar air flow within a cleaning zone of the cleaning module. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a charge sensor to detect a quantity of metal powder particles or is a light-based sensor to detect a quantity of plastic powder particles in the second airflow. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a cleaning zone of the cleaning module is orientated towards a leading edge of the 3D printed object as it is moved by the platform, such that the first airflow hits the leading edge of the 3D printed object. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning module is rotationally orientable, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust an orientation of the cleaning module based on a geometry of a portion of the 3D printed object. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning module comprises one of:
 a pair of extraction ports, including the extraction port, that sandwich between them the output port; and 
 the extraction port that surrounds the output port. 
 
     
     
       10. A method of cleaning an object on a platform, comprising:
 generating with a cleaning module a cleaning airflow to remove powder particles from the object and an extraction airflow to extract any removed powder particles; 
 determining a quantity of powder particles in the extraction airflow; and 
 moving the cleaning module relative to the platform based on the quantity of powder particles while cleaning the object via the cleaning module. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein moving the cleaning module relative to the platform comprises controlling a speed of the platform towards the cleaning module, wherein the speed of the platform is inversely proportional to the quantity of powder particles. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein moving the cleaning module relative to the platform comprises controlling a speed of the platform towards the cleaning module using a proximity sensor located on the cleaning module. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising modifying a distance between the cleaning module and the object to maintain a portion of the object within a cleaning zone of the cleaning module. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising generating the cleaning airflow at an angle between about 20 and 50 degrees towards the object. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising changing an orientation of the cleaning airflow based a geometry of a portion of the object. 
     
     
       16. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
 causing, via a controller, a cleaning module to generate a cleaning airflow to remove powder particles from an object on a platform; 
 causing, via the controller, the cleaning module to generate an extraction airflow to extract the powder particles removed from the object by the cleaning airflow; 
 determining a quantity of powder particles in the extraction airflow based on using a sensor; and 
 causing, via the controller, the platform to move relative to the cleaning module based on the quantity of powder particles determined. 
 
     
     
       17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of  claim 16 , the method further comprising determining that the quantity of powder particles includes dust, and causing the cleaning module to move relative to the platform and at a particular speed based on determining that the quantity of powder particles includes dust. 
     
     
       18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of  claim 16 , the method further comprising using a plurality of sensors, including the sensor, to orient the cleaning module to direct the cleaning airflow at an angle between about 20 and 50 degrees towards a leading portion of the object. 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of  claim 16 , the method further comprising using a plurality of sensors, including the sensor, to orient the cleaning module to direct the cleaning airflow towards a leading portion of the object based on a geometry of the object detected using the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
       20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of  claim 16 , the method further comprising determining that the quantity of powder particles in the extraction airflow is above a threshold and causing a speed of the platform, moving relative to the cleaning module, to be reduced based on determining that the quantity of powder particles in the extraction airflow is above the threshold.